Traffic-signal device for automobiles



@at 3@, 11923. LMZZZQ c. H. HUGHES TRAFFIC SIGNAL DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILESFiled Sept. 2. 1921 2 sham-sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

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ATTORNEYS;

Oct. 30,1923. 11,472,273

c. H. HUGHES TRA FFIG SIGNAL DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Sept. 1921Z'Sheetrs-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

BY 2 W Patented Get. 30, 1923 CHARLES H. HUGHES, F ENDICOTT, NEW YORK.

TRAFFIOSIGNAL DEVIGE'FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed September 7 '0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, CHAnLns H. HUoHcs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ilndicott, in the county of Broome and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traffic-SignalDevices for Automobiles, of which the fol lowing is a specification.-

.My invention relates to improvements in traflic signal devices forautomobiles, and

it has for its object to provide an attractive and distinctive andeasily operated traffic signal, by the movements of a human form, whichare automatically produced and point the direction of the movements ofan automobile to be made, and are especially adapted for the type ofcars known as closed cars. And at the same time to produce distinctiveform of device, which will be most likely to attract attention. Withthese objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel featuresof construction and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter morefully described and pointed out in the claims, reference being bad tothe accompany drawings, in which- Fig 1 is a. front elevation, inperspective of my device.

Fig 2 is a plan view of my device.

Fig 3 is a front elevation in perspective of my device.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a detailed part of my device.

The same reference characters denote like parts in each of the severalfiguresot the drawings.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a supporting arm 2, mounted inany convenient manner on the front of the dash A of an automobile and inalinement there-- with; a convenient method is by means of bolts orscrews 3, 3; on the outer end of the support arm 2, I have the forkedextension l, which may be integral therewith or mounted on the same, bymeans of bolts or rivets. Through the forked arms 6, 6 oi the cmtension, I have pivotally mounted the vertical rod 7, on which issecurely mounted a a metallic figure B, representing a human form, andwhich may be constructed of metal plate or other suitable n'iatcrial; onform B, I havean arm 8 pivotally mounted on the figure. The arm 8 hasthe pointing hand 9 projecting therefrom. Mounted on rod 7 and betweenarms 6, 6 of extension 4, I have the crank 10, it being adjustably 2,1921. Serial No. 497,915.

mounted on rod 7 by means of the set screw 11, or in any otherconvenient manner. On the inner end ofthe support arm 2 and on the outerface thereof, I have the projecting lugs 12, 12, and pivoted betweenthem I have the forked crank 13, and having projecting from the ends ofeach arm thereof, the lugs 14, 14 and 14: 14; pivotally mounted between14- and 14 I have a turn handle rod 15 extending through opening 16 indash A; between crank 13 and lug 10 I have the rod 17, one end of whichis pivotally mounted between lugs 14, 1e and the other end pivotallymounted in lug 10; mounted on the outer end of supporting arm 2, andextending horizontally therefrom, I have the curved forked guide 18having the divided end formation, consisting of the downward endprojection or section 19, projecting into the vertical projection 20,and then pro jecting back in alinement with the surface of the guide, tothe point of spring contact therewith, 26, and in the inner edge ofsection 19 I have a recess or notch 21; pivotally mounted, in anyconvenient manner on the lower end of rod 7, but having a verticalpivotal movement, I have the lever 22; between the arm 8 of figure B andlever 22, and. having pivotal connection therewith, I have rod 23;mounted on the foot 24 of figure B, I have the. coil spring 25surrounding rod 23, the lower end of spring 25 connect ing with lever22, while the outer end of lever 22 is positioned to rest upon theprojected section 19, as shown in Fig. the coil spring 25 is positionedto exert a yielding pressure on lever 22 as it moves around on theprojected section 19 and to press the end of lever 22 through recess 21as the guide 18 is moved backward turned by the the inovment of the rod7, and the lever having passed through recess 21 it rests upon the lowercurved section 19; when I pull on handle rod 15 it turns lever .13 andwith it draws rod 17 which draws lever h), which turns rod 7 and with itfigure B and also turns lever 22, moving it along the sur-- face of590(1011 19 until it contacts with and raises the end of section 19forming the pening 26 and through. this to the upper su r- .tace ofguide1.3,- the lever 22 as it turns raises up or down the rod 23, which inturn raises or lowers the arm 8; when I move the rod 17 forward it turnsrod 7, and with it lever 22,which moves upward along the guide 18 andraises rod 23 and with it arm 8 f figill? ' movably mounted pivotallymounted I divided upper surface,

ure B, until it reaches a horizontal pointing position, pointing ahead;I can hold it in this position, indicating a forward movement of theautomobile; but by moving or turning the figure B farther, the lever 22reaches recess 21 and drops through it and causes rod 23 to drop andwith it arm 8, of figure B. In this position the figure or form B is inalinement with the arm 2; by a further movement of the handle bar 15,the figure B is turned until it assumes a reverse position, and inalinement with the arm 2, as shown in Fig. 1, and the arm 8 is raisedpointing to the right, indicating turn to the right; by again-movingforward on the handle lever 15, the lever 22 is moved along guide 18approaching the recess 21, and the arm 8 is raised pointing to the left,and indicating a turn to the left. While the dropped arm 8 indicatesthat the vehicle is to stop.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and for which Idesire Letters Patent is as follows:

1. In a traffic signal device for automobiles, a longitudinal armsupport mounted on the dash, in alinement therewith and extending beyondthe car body, a vertical rod I in the outer end thereof, a metallichuman figure vertically mounted on the rod, having one arm pivoted onthe shoulder of the figure, a projectingcurved guide mountedlongitudinally on the outer end of the arm support said guide having athe guide projected into upper and lower guide surfaces, with verticalconnection between their outer ends, and a spring opening in the uppersurface, a forked lever pivoted longitudinally on said support and onthe inner end thereof, a handle bar having pivotal connection with onefork of the lever and extending through opening in the dash, a crank reon the lower end of pivoted end rod, pivotal connection between theforked lever and said crank, a lever mounted on lower end of pivoted endrod, the opposite end of lever adapted to rest on the curved guide, avertical rodpivotally connected with said lever and the arm of figure, acoil spring surrounding said rod, one end of the spring connected withthe figure, and

the other with said lever, a recess on the inner edge of the guidesurface, means for a longitudinal movement of the turn. crank rod, andforpositioning the figure and arm, to denote direction.

2. A direction signal for automobiles comprising a support extendingfromthe'car, a vertical shaft revolubly mounted in the outer end of saidsupport, a sign member secured to the shaft, a direction indicating armpivoted to the sign member, a projecting curved guide also mounted onthe support, a vertically disposed lever connected to the directionindicating arm at its upper end and with its lower end resting on thecurved guide, and means for revolving the vertical shaft and the signmember connected thereto whereby the direction indicating arm will beswung around horizontally the sign member, a projecting curved guidealso mounted on the support, said guide provided with arecess, avertically disposed lever connected to. the direction indicating arm andhavingits lowerend resting. on the curved guide adapted to enter therecess in the guide, means for revolving the vertical shaft and the signmember connected thereto whereby the direction indicating arm will beswung around horizontally withits connecting lever traversing the curvedguide and a spring for projecting the connecting lever into therecess-of the guide when in alignment therewith.

f. A direction signal for automobilescomprisin a support extending fromthe car, a shaft revolubly mounted in said support, a directionindicating arm pivotally supported from said shaft, means forrevolvingsaid shaft and means for raising and lowering the indicating arm as theshaft revolves.

5. A direction signal for automobiles comprising a support extendingfrom the car, a vertical shaft revolubly mounted in the outer endL ofsaid support, a sign member secured to said shaft and revolubletherewith, a direction indicating arm pivoted to the sign member, aprojecting curved guide also mounted on'the support, said guide providedwith a major horizontal portion terminating in adownwardly bent portionto provide a. depression and then bent up wardly and backwardly to forman arouatethe same plane with the said arcuate portion bea recess, avertically disportion disposed in horizontal portion, mg provlded withposed lever connected to the direction in-' dicating arm at its upperend andhaying its lower end resting on the curved guide and adapted toenter the recess therein, means for revolving the vertical shaft and thesign member connected thereto whereby the direction indicating arm willbe swung around horizontally with its connecting. lever traverslng thecurved guideand means the vertically chsposed lever for projectingdownwardly into the recess ofthe guide when in alinement therewith.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

CHARLES H. HUGHES.

